So my brethren, when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance, there should be a diligent inquisition for sin, for sin in Scripture is compared to leaven; thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart, in any of the faculties of thy soul, what sin there is in thy thoughts, in thy conscience, in thy understanding, in thy will, in any of thy affections, what sin there hath been in thy life, what family sins, what personal sins. thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whether there be not some leaven, some evil in thy heart; and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart, there must be a casting of it out; that is, thy soul must be set against it to oppose it with all thy might; what ever beloved sin, whatever gainful sin, whatsoever become of thee, thy soul must renounce that sin of thine; yea and in a kind of execration of thy life: that's thus, Lord, as ever I expect to receive any good by this Body and Blood of Christ, that I come now to receive, so Lord, here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart; I desire to find out all, and profess ⟨p. 250⟩against all, and renounce all, and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soul fully, from every known or beloved sin; Oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart: this must be the disposition of the soul coming hither, and it must needs be thus, or else we cannot sanctify Gods Name, because there is nothing more suitable than this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament; for we come here to profess, That we do acknowledge that sin did cost so much as it did, that it cost the Blood of the Son of God; now this cannot choose but cause the heart to renounce sin; If indeed I do believe that sin hath cost the Blood of Christ, that it cost him so deer as it did, that it did trouble Heaven and Earth, that there must be such a mighty wonderful way of satisfaction to God for my sin committed against him, Certainly sin hath a dreadful evil in it, Oh let me never have to do with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Saviour that did shed his Blood. If so be that thou sawest a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child, would not thy heart rise against that knife?
So my brethren, when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance, there should be a diligent inquisition for sin, for sin in Scripture is compared to leaven; thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart, in any of the faculties of thy soul, what sin there is in thy thoughts, in thy conscience, in thy understanding, in thy will, in any of thy affections, what sin there hath been in thy life, what family sins, what personall sins. thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whether there be not some leaven, some evil in thy heart; and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart, there must be a casting of it out; that is, thy soul must be set against it to apose it with all thy might; what ever beloved sin, whatever gainfull sin, whatsoever become of thee, thy soul must renounce that sin of thine; yea and in a kind of execration of thy life: that's thus, Lord, as ever I expect to receive any good by this Body and Blood of Christ, that I come now to receive, so Lord, here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart; I desire to find out all, and profess ⟨p. 250⟩against all, and renouuce all, and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soul fully, from every known or beloved sin; Oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart: this must be the disposition of the soul coming hither, and it must needs be thus, or else we cannot sanctifie Gods Name, because there is nothing more sutable than this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament; for we come here to profess, That we do acknowledg that sin did cost so much as it did, that it cost the Blood of the Son of God; now this cannot chuse but cause the heart to renonnce sin; If indeed I do beleeve that sin hath cost the Blood of Christ, that it cost him so deer as it did, that it did trouble Heaven and Earth, that there must be such a mighty wonderful way of satisfaction to God for my sin committed against him, Certainly sin hath a dreadful evil in it, Oh let me never have to do with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Savior that did shed his Blood. If so be that thou sawest a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child, would not thy heart rise against that knife?
